The one and only free public forum for Bohras. The focus of this forum is the reform movement, the Dawoodi Bohra faith and, of course, the corrupt priesthood. But the discussion is in no way restricted to the Bohras alone.

Sometime back, I had read an article on Karimjees. I do not remember whether it was in this forum or somebody had forwarded it to me. It was a great article.

It seems Karimjees were the first Asians in Africa in the 1800s. One Karimjee fellow was married to a white woman. He did not have an affair but probably in those days it was considered bad.

They did a lot for the country, especially Kenya and Tanzania. They also did a lot for the Bohora community in East Africa. They were very good people and highly educated. I have heard a lot of good things about them.

I believe there are some Karimjees still in Africa and most of them are in the UK.

JavedhJuma wrote:Sometime back, I had read an article on Karimjees. I do not remember whether it was in this forum or somebody had forwarded it to me. It was a great article.

It seems Karimjees were the first Asians in Africa in the 1800s. One Karimjee fellow was married to a white woman. He did not have an affair but probably in those days it was considered bad.

They did a lot for the country, especially Kenya and Tanzania. They also did a lot for the Bohora community in East Africa. They were very good people and highly educated. I have heard a lot of good things about them.

I believe there are some Karimjees still in Africa and most of them are in the UK.

There are plenty of Bohra families in the past who have done plenty for the community, philanthropy was ripe, however since the Taher saifudin dynasty came to power they have systematically wiped the history and replaced by self glorification . People are now brainwashed through ideology to shower wealth to these princes.

JavedhJuma wrote:Sometime back, I had read an article on Karimjees. I do not remember whether it was in this forum or somebody had forwarded it to me. It was a great article.

It seems Karimjees were the first Asians in Africa in the 1800s. One Karimjee fellow was married to a white woman. He did not have an affair but probably in those days it was considered bad.

They did a lot for the country, especially Kenya and Tanzania. They also did a lot for the Bohora community in East Africa. They were very good people and highly educated. I have heard a lot of good things about them.

I believe there are some Karimjees still in Africa and most of them are in the UK.

The quintessential philanthropist

In East Africa, the Karimjee family built and donated community schools, gymkhanas and contributed towards Bohra Musafirkhanas, charitable trust funds such as the medical funds for the poor and ailing. For their philanthropy and community work, Sir Yusufali and Sir Tayebali Karimjee jivanjees were bestowed knighthoods by the British Government. Sir Yusufali's son Mr. Abdulkarim was the Mayor of Dar-es-salaam and a Speaker of the Tanzanian Parliament.

In 1825, Mr Jivanjee Budhabhoy, a trader from Cutch Mandvi in India, came to East Africa and settled in Zanzibar. He established a small trading firm that was to become a considerable Merchant Empire.

Mr Budhabhoy was succeeded by his three sons, Pirbhoy, Karimjee and Esmailjee. In 1861 the brothers separated and Karimjee set up his own business exporting commodities such as ivory, copra, groundnuts, cereals, beeswax and cloves from Zanzibar and the East African mainland to India. The business was later handed over to his three grandsons who managed it very successfully. By the time Karimjee died in 1898, the company had established trade connections with Europe.

During the early 1900's the company expanded and invested in agriculture and in the acquisition of various diverse agencies from Deutsche Ost-Afrika, Robin and Holland-Afrika shipping lines, to Texaco, Ansonia clocks, Eagle Star Insurance and Faber pencils amongst many others.

In 1939, Karimjee Jivanjee Estates was formed and in 1943 came a turning point for the family when the parent company, Karimjee Jivanjee & Co Ltd. moved its Head Office from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam after forming International Motor Mart and Karimjee Jivanjee Properties.

By 1959 Karimjee Jivanjee, besides its agricultural and motor interests represented numerous major international manufacturers of industrial and consumer products as well as two major insurance companies and nine international shipping lines.

Gijsbert Oonk, the author, starts the book (The Karimjee Jivanjee Family: Merchant Princes of East Africa 1800–2000) with an insert of a family tree. This becomes a very necessary tool for readers as we weave through the journey of the prominent Karimjee Jeevanji family on the east coast of Africa. The author is a senior associate professor of non-western history at Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He has published various books and numerous articles on the history of the Indian Ocean region.

Late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin claimed his father, the 51st Dai, did not know about the Fatemid tradition

The year 1967 was a memorable year for Bohras in East Africa. That was the year when plans hatched by late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin and his brother late Yusuf Najmuddin were finally enacted. That was the year when they would replace the 1955 Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat of East Africa Constitution with their own. The 1955 Constitution was developed with consultations with Syedna Taher Saifuddin and was adopted at meeting of East African Jamaats on 17 April 1955 in Dar-es-Salaam. The Constitution was subsequently sanctioned by Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb (A.Q.) as 51st Dai-el-Mutlaq. In the preamble to the 1967 Constitution, it states:

“In the year 1959 His Holiness Dr. Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb (A.Q.) as 51st Dai-el-Mutlaq and Head of the Dawoodi Bohra community had been graciously pleased in the exercise of the authority of his august office to establish the East African Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat Central Council and provided for its functioning a Constitution.”

This statement clearly shows that the 51st Dai, Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb, agreed with the constitution, welcomed it and gave the East African Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat Central Council his blessings to adopt it.

In 1967 Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s two sons, the 52nd Dai, late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin and Yusuf Najmuddin were zealous in their pursuit to grab all the community assets in East Africa. To do this they needed to replace the 1955 Constitution with their own. The actual transcriptions of the same preamble states:

“In his desire to provide a proper means to promote, foster, further and aid the fulfilment of the philosophy and guidance of His Holiness the 51st Dai-el-Mutlaq, foster the awakened zeal for the faith and the Dawat that moves the followers of East Africa to consolidate the gains, to better protect the Dawat and the Momineen from activities prejudicial and contrary to the Shariat and the Dawat, further strengthen the unity of purpose and to lead Momineen onwards by improving, systematising and strengthening the existing organisations and institutions, His Holiness, the Dai-el-Mutlaq deems it opportune, necessary, fit and proper that the Dawoodi Bohra Jamaats of East Africa should be governed by a fresh code of rules and regulations. In the context His Holiness the Dai-el-Mutlaq has borne in mind the resolution of the East African Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat Central Council carried at its meeting held in Mombasa on 19th day of June 1966 and reading:

“This meeting of the Central Council strongly feels that the present Constitution of the Jamaat Corporations of East Africa do not fully represent the traditions and heritage of the Fatemi Faith and do not give expression to the feelings, aspirations and sentiments of the Bohra Community of East Africa. Be it therefore resolved that Huzurali Moulana Dr. Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb (T.U.S.) be humbly requested to graciously give his guidance and incorporate such changes as he may deem fit and proper in the context”.

"Now Know Ye and these presents witness that in the premises His Holiness the 52nd Dai-el-Mutlaq directs that the Constitution governing the various Dawoodi Bohra Jamaats shall be deemed to have been revoked and repealed and is hereby revoked and repealed and the Constitution hereinafter appearing shall be deemed to be the Constitution applicable to the various Dawoodi Bohra Jamaats and operative with effect from the date and in the manner prescribed in the Directive of His Holiness the 52nd Dai-el-Mutlaq dated 16th day of Moharram 1387 corresponding to the 25th April 1967.”

This was a shocking admission. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin was admitting that his father, the 51st Dai, did not know about Bohra tradition and Bohra heritage. Furthermore, Syedna Taher Saifuddin was, according to Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, ignorant about the Fatemid faith, its traditions and about the aspirations of the community and hence had led the community astray by agreeing to the 1955 Constitution which is why it had to be replaced.

If that is the case, Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s appointment of the Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin as Dai must also have been flawed. A man considered ignorant of his faith, heritage and tradition cannot be expected to make an informed decision about the spiritual leadership of the community.

Either Syedna Taher Saifuddin was ignorant and unfit to be the Dai, or Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin broke the terms of his own Misaq by denouncing his predecessor. If Syedna Taher Saifuddin was unfit as a Dai then so must be his appointment of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin. If Syedna Taher Saifuddin was wise and fit then his denunciator must be unfit.

Neither of the two present claimants can expect any esteem, authority, legitimacy or inheritance of communal assets as they both claim to have been appointed by a person whose own legitimacy and credentials are questionable.

The lion of reform in East Africa

by Fazlehusein Kapasi

The following obituary was read out by Mr. Fazlehusein Kapasi in rememberance of one of our great Reformists, Mr Husseinbhai Hamdani, on 13 July 2008.

Abdalla bin Abdalla, Husseinbhai Hamdani’s father, came to Zanzibar from Yemen in 1918 as a stowaway. From there he came to Mombasa in a dhow and gradually in 1919 made his way to Kampala. In 1928 the first constitution for the Kampala Jamaat was formulated and Abdalla bin Abdalla was one of the founder trustees of Kampala jamaat.

Husseinbhai was borne in Kampala in 1922. His father died in 1939 and so the family responsibility fell on his shoulders at the tender age of 17. The family went through hard times and Husseinbhai lost out on formal education. He got married to Aruaben in 1943.

Although he could not read or write any language he was self taught in English, Swahili, Nubian, Gujarati and Luganda. Arabic was his mother tongue and those who knew him will remember his command of Gujarati. His lack of formal English did not stop him becoming a very successful businessman in Uganda and Canada. His Lugandi was so good that recently in the Ugandan court where he used Lugandi to give evidence; the Judge commented that he was a true Mugandi and whished that Husseinbhai would stay over in Uganda. In his youth, Husseinbhai had tried his hand at several businesses in Uganda and his success came with Poultry farming. Even in this he once lost all his stock in an epidemic that affected poultry he bounced back and became number one in Uganda for poultry supplies.

In Kampala, any public event and Husseinbhai would surely be there and no cricket match was worth watching if Husseinbhai and Late Hassnibhai were not there. The players and spectators would be sure to get loud proclamations of ‘Shabas’ or ‘Labbal’ from the pair for every bit of good or bad play. Husseinbhai loved his tombolla and his, and Hassnibhai’s membership of Indian Recreation Club added flavour to the sports and the evenings at the club.

Like his father Husseinbhai was always interested and took active part in Jamaat matters. He was a fervent devotee of the Dai until his trip to India in early 1960’s. While in Bombay he witnessed the lavish lifestyle of the Shezadas and Shezadis (so called princes and princesses of Syedna's families). To his horror, he also found out how Kothar was making it easy for young Bohri girls to get into legal prostitution. It was the visit to Kampala of the late Syedna Taher Saifuddin that did the ultimate and permanent damage to his devotion. He witnessed at first hand the true colours of Kothar. The exploitation of the community and the sheer contempt with which the Kotharis treated community members shocked him to the core.

It was after the death of Syedna Taher Saifuddin, when the present Dai came to power, that things went from bad to worse. The first act of the present Dai was to declare that his father, the 51st Dai, did not know his own faith and nullified the jamaat constitution which his father had sanctioned after four years of negotiations with East Africa Jamaats. He formulated a new constitution and sent it to the East Africa Jamaats as a directive. When Mr. Kurban Kachi who was then the secretary of Kampala Jamaat , brought it to me, (I was then the joint secretary) I was shocked by it. We both felt that we had to move to halt this constitution from becoming a reality. We went straight to Late Abbasbhai Rajbhai (who was the Jammat president) whose reaction was similar to ours. At that time Abbasbhai and Husseinbhai were not on talking terms and without Husseinbhai’s support there was no hope of succeeding in opposing the new constitution. Mr Kachi and I went to Husseinbhai’s house and read out and translated some of the important clauses to him. His immediate reaction was "Aa Haram che" (“This is unholy”). He not only pledged his full support but also agreed to make up with Abbasbhai in the interest of the community.

A general meeting of the Jammat was called in our workshop where a public reconciliation of Husseinbhai and Abbasbhai took place and all present signed a memorandum opposing the new constitution. Husseinbhai, from there on, became one of the leading figures in the fight against the new constitution. The fight lead to several court cases , some ending in the highest court of the land. The fight cost dearly in time and resources. The financial burden of the cost was not borne by the Jammat but by individuals among whom Husseinbhai was a generous contributor. His office, his time and his children’s time were all applied to our cause. A number of episodes happened during these years of our struggle, which I can not go into, as time does not permit.

When Iddi Amin expelled us from Uganda, Husseinbhai first took his family to Yemen. This did not work out for them and he decided to move to Canada. Fortunately, and partly because of his personality and his frankness, the immigration officers allowed him and his family stay in Canada. He rose to the challenges of a new life in a new country and proved his acumen by becoming one of the well-to-do families in Canada. His passion for reformist activities remained high. He contributed the largest amount (Dollars 100,000) to the 1986 Bohra Reformist Trust which was founded at the 1986 at the All World Conference in Leicester. He helped establish the Association of Progressive Dawoodi Bohras (APDBO) in Canada making a very handsome contribution towards the acquisition of the Reformist centre there. In Kampala, after the family of Late Taherbhai Malkan repossessed Jamaat properties, disputes arose between the The Muslim Supreme Council and the Malkans. Husseinbhai, as a trustee of Kampala Jamaat, was called upon to give evidence in the cases that followed. Husseinbhai , despite his age and ailing health, made several trips to Uganda, gave evidence in the courts and helped resolve the case by arriving at a consensus judgement. In terms of the judgement, for his efforts, he was awarded the value of a property.

Husseinbhai passed on the proceeds of this value to the 1986 Bohra Reformist Trust. We all know, much has been made of this donation. Husseinbhai, till his last day believed that he had acted in the best interest of the Reform Movement and had made the right decisions in this matter. I agree with him.

Husseinbhai has not only done his best for the Ugandan Reformists but has made contributions to the global Reformist activities. Amongst the beneficiaries are: the Malegaon Kabrastan, prayer hall and library; help in Aurangabad and project to help the poor and countless others.

Husseinbhai’s philanthropy has reached beyond the Reform Movement. He contributed handsomely to non-Bohri Muslim organizations. He built a splendid masjid in St. Catherine, right next to his house. A significant landmark, the masjid is the pride and joy of the Muslim community in St. Catharine. It has a lot of facilities which are used on a daily basis by the community. It must be Allah’s reward that his Ghusal took place in the same masjid, his janaza namaaz was offered in the same masjid and his janaza left for his final journey from the same masjid. The attendance of over 1000 people at his funeral is a testimony of the respect and love he earned during his life. On the day of the funeral the Mayor and the police helped by closing some of the roads to allow the mourners easy access to the cemetery.

Husseinbhai’s life can not be summarised in the short time available today. He had the ability to communicate with and win over adults, children, ladies, dignitaries and ordinary folks. His friends will remember him for his story telling skills, his love for fun, the late nights with him, his appetite for good food, and for his support in crises . His family will remember him as a loving caring and larger than life Dad ,Grandad, Great Grandad and husband. I will remember him for being my best friend, being my elder brother, for understanding and trusting me and for being my partner in our common cause and for his support till the very last.

May Almighty Allah bestow upon him the choicest place in Jannat and may He give Sabar and strength to his family to bear this heavy loss. May Allah be Rahim and Karim to Aruaben and give solace to her in her time of grief. Amen.

Most Bohras i know, incl. those of progressive bent, generally hesitate to divulge the wrongs and evil which is systematically wrought on our community by the Syedna and his mercenary establishment. They find it embarassing and self-deprecating to reveal this dirt to outsiders, believing that it will affect not only their own self-image, but also of the bohra community as a whole.

The impression I gathered was: We Bohras take great pride on our business prowess, shrewdness and common-sense on practical and worldly matters, then how can we come across to others - who respect us and admire us - as being so easily manipulated and deceived by our leaders and robbed of our money?? Separating a shrewd bohra from even a paisa is usually very difficult, then how come we are being taken for a royal sucker-ride by our leaders and we put up with it so meekly? Its like when the millionaire victim of a con usually keeps quiet in order not to become an object of ridicule in the eyes of his peers or most rape victims keep silent out of bringing shame and dishonour to themselves and their families.

Since the last couple of months, I have started copy pasting many relevant articles from this board and elsewhere and have started sending them to my extensive network of friends, Bohras, Sunnis, Ismailis, Ishna-asharis, eg. the life of Sir Adamjee Peerbhai, the Chandabhai Galla case, the court cases against Syedna Taher Saifuddin, etc etc. For years I felt the same way too, talking about the nonsense and un-islamic things in our community was like revealing the flaws and scandals within my own family. Generally no one wud do it, it is not accepted that you bring out the skeletons from your own closet. But swallowing the bitter pill, I did, and I have been quite surprised at the overall positive interest and debates that this has stirred up amongst disparate groups, whom I would not have expected to understand or sympathise with our issues. Of course there have been a range of reactions, from disbelief to personal adverse comments about me, but generally I think I have succeeded in casting the cat amongst the pigeons. From some very staunch Muslims, good decent pious Muslims, there has been a very puzzled silence. Maybe they question my motives but I do know that this has created great curiosity and has opened up many lively rounds of hush-hush discussions among themselves at parties and get-togethers. I have also deliberately targeted some influential business and socially prominent friends in the middle-east, hoping to stir up some buzz if possible within govt circles.

I would sincerely hope that more of our reformist minded brethren do the same, if they are not doing it already. We cannot bring about change by ourselves and we need every help we can get to fight this many-headed raavan. be it from thinkers, politicians, powerful people and even any ordinary person who has strong convictions.

We are also conditioned to think that only we are the only true Muslims and the rest are referred to variously as: Ola Musalmano (as if we are not Muslims!), Miyabhai, Memnao, Sunni, Khoja or Agakhani etc. in a tone accompanied with appropriate facial expressions which would denote all these 'others' as some disgusting and lesser creatures who are not only not fit to be Muslims but almost equivalent to being haiwaans. It is a fact, even if one hates to say it in public, that we consider ourselves, it having been relentlessly drilled into us from childhood, that we are much superior beings, like Brahmans and the rest of the Muslims are some ignorant, illiterate, boorish and uncouth people whom we only grudgingly tolerate due to worldly pressures and the realities of business, society etc.

We also walk around with a very secretive air, as if we are privy to some vast secret knowledge, confident that we are hugely better cultured, sensible and wise, we are the softer, gentler and more refined and understanding of all peoples.. its the classic 'us' and 'they' mentality which has been cleverly played upon by the last 2 dais to isolate us even more and increase their grip over a community which sees itself as being a very miniscule part of a large, very violent, intolerant and Jaahil majority who are all our dushmans. So we are taught to play it smart, use all wiles and cunning to get our ways, show our skills at being very amiable and docile and meek businessmen, whilst being secure in our knowledge of being morally, spiritually and culturally far superior to everyone, esp the miyabhai's.

We Bohras are perhaps the worst kind of racists, for we discriminate against each and every race, religion, and belief and we do it very subtly while outwardly putting up a great show of being kind, loving and faithful lambs. We are the biggest wolves in sheeps clothing! Today whatever our thinking and behaviour is, it is due wholly to the conduct of our Dai and his family. I have always steadfastly maintained - JAISA RAJA, WAISI PRAJA. When our Dai is an outright extortionist and thief, his shameless family lives lavishly off our money and their amils are all a bunch of crooks, while talking of peace and being loyal citizens and remaining true to our deen; what sort of example is it setting to the community? loot, eat haraam and then mouth platitudes of namaaz, roza and maatam.

A quick informal survey of Bohras around you will tell you that most of them are mentally accepting of the fact that the whole system is corrupt. They are fed up with the arm twisting from the amils, the constant additions and innovations to our deeni practices, the treatment of everyone down from the shaikhs to the lowest as grain in a mill but are they able to do anything about it? At the most they can negotiate ( as baniya's do) to minimise their financial damage, but beyond that there is no choice. They can reduce the no. of times they go the masjid/markaz, show some defiance, but that's about all. Can they refuse to pay anything or not follow the amil's diktats completely? They are all trapped hopelessly. most are convinced that though everything else is rotten, the Syedna is a god-like figure who is innocent and above all this.

Its only then that you need to show the world, esp. the rest of the Muslim world, what he really is, what he represents. That support is crucial, because he has cleverly subverted their thoughts by portraying himself as the ultimate Muslim, a shining example of what a true Muslim leader should be. this is a sinister ploy as Sunni Muslims dont have a central leadership and they do feel envious of our success as a community, which they mistakenly assume is due to the guidance and shrewd captaincy of our syedna. The secrecy the kothar maintains about their internal non-islamic and inhuman practices must be destroyed and exposed to the outside world. When the other Muslims start discussing this and making a noise about it will our own people wake up. That in turn will embolden them to act more defiant in a more decisive manner and destroy the myth built up around the Syedna.

What we want is financial transparency, accountability and a democratic system in the running of our jamaat affairs. holding the Syedna and his family accountable for all the money they collect from the community and denying them the powers which they are wrongfully exercising in the name of our religion. There is no caste system in bohras that we need to bring in social reforms, unless you consider the division of the community into the royal family (leech family of syedna) and commoners as something you want to reform. That problem will go away as soon as the powers of the Syedna and his gang of thugs are curtailed and their outright loot and plunder of the bohras is stopped.

Speak to as many Muslims as you can, tell them about the shameless behaviour of our kotharis, let them spread it amongst their friends, maulvis, thinkers, let the movement snowball. Why should I be ashamed at exposing the evils of our community, when the people who enslave us and loot us are themselves shameless?? This is precisely what they count on, that we will remain silent like rape victims and swallow our pride.

Wah bhai wah, have any of you seen the news on the maalumat site of the Syedna having been "received" by the mayor of Rossy, a suburb of Paris?

Now talk of lies and false propaganda, at which these kotharis are masters. The Mayor was actually "invited" to attend the inauguration of the new masjid there and obviously she would not refuse, considering that the Syedna is a religious leader and carries a diplomatic passport of the Indian govt. Add to that the impressive portfolio he has compiled over the years of photos with political leaders and his venerable age, and she would be curious to see who this character is and his community, perhaps even instructed by her govt to check things out with this obscure sect of so-called Muslims.

Taher Saifuddin of course was the evil genius who started this by claiming 'fateh mubin' after losing the Chandabhai Galla case and then took out victory processions to spread misinformation. Not only was he held in contempt of court and fined, but threatened with imprisonment if he repeated this ever again. Since then, they have refined and perfected this art of deception even further..

Witness the grand tamashas in Dubai, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Africa, etc during the annual moharram picnics. They use vested interest political lobbies, bribe them and promote the fact that the Syedna has amazing pulling power, and can bring in atleast 30,000+ rich "tourists, who will spend big bucks on hotels, restts, shopping, sightseeing and so on, and also that many bohra businessmen may also invest in their countries and so on. Obviously any fool will see the economic benefits of allowing this huge bunch in.

All the photo-ops and visits are carefully stage managed by the local jamaat and the advance organising party, which includes some highly paid consultants employed by the kothar. Most foreign leaders wouldnt know Syedna from Adam, but meet him anyways, more to know what this old guy is all about. He self-invites himself, manipulates lobbies etc. with his vast wealth, earned as haraam ni kamai from simple and innocent bohras.

Real respect is when humble but great people like Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi were invited and heads of state bowed in their presence, felt humbled and contributed millions to their cause. Take Abdul Sattar Edhi or Nelson Mandela, these are true heroes, not our pomp and show loving Syedna who rides with police escorts, shitty bohra scout bands, elephants and tigers in cages, idiotic baniya bohras waving swords, dressed up in ridiculous costumes like jokers..!!!! His vast retinue of parasites and blood suckers with him, lording it over us, the ordinary unclean jaahil bohras, but gladly hogging our elaborate Ziyafat jamans with ice cold drinks.

Maybe the Syedna has some blood from Goebbels - Hitler's propaganda minister, in his veins. For it was Goebbels who had famously said that bigger lies are more believable than smaller ones, and if repeated often and loudly, will eventually be accepted as the truth.

Maybe the Syedna has some blood from Goebbels - Hitler's propaganda minister, in his veins. For it was Goebbels who had famously said that bigger lies are more believable than smaller ones, and if repeated often and loudly, will eventually be accepted as the truth.[/quote]

Yes, this part is quite true: Not the BLOOD LINES bit. Yusuf Bhai Saheb najmuddin was a personal ardent fan of Hitler and had declared his in-depth knowledge of Hitlers Methods back in his heydays with unsuspecting abdes. I absolutely know this part to be 100% true.

Maybe the Syedna has some blood from Goebbels - Hitler's propaganda minister, in his veins. For it was Goebbels who had famously said that bigger lies are more believable than smaller ones, and if repeated often and loudly, will eventually be accepted as the truth.[/quote]

Yes, this part is quite true: Not the BLOOD LINES bit. Yusuf Bhai Saheb najmuddin was a personal ardent fan of Hitler and had declared his in-depth knowledge of Hitlers Methods back in his heydays with unsuspecting abdes. I absolutely know this part to be 100% true. He would say things like "if Hitler was on haq, the world would be under better control and imamuzzamaan's Zuhur would become more easy with more people on haq." He spoke of Hitler with complete awe, praising his methods of obedience and maintaining order and control. He also said, among many other things, that Hitlers method of killing the Jews was totally evil, but apart from that, his methods were very good and worth exploring. This was Yusufbhaisaheb Najmuddin Saheb.

Go figure.

The rest is history - unless there's another revolution among Bohras.

While YN Studied Hitler, now the tables are turned. People are studying YN.

alam wrote:Maybe the Syedna has some blood from Goebbels - Hitler's propaganda minister, in his veins. For it was Goebbels who had famously said that bigger lies are more believable than smaller ones, and if repeated often and loudly, will eventually be accepted as the truth.

Yes, this part is quite true: Not the BLOOD LINES bit. Yusuf Bhai Saheb najmuddin was a personal ardent fan of Hitler and had declared his in-depth knowledge of Hitlers Methods back in his heydays with unsuspecting abdes. I absolutely know this part to be 100% true. He would say things like "if Hitler was on haq, the world would be under better control and imamuzzamaan's Zuhur would become more easy with more people on haq." He spoke of Hitler with complete awe, praising his methods of obedience and maintaining order and control. He also said, among many other things, that Hitlers method of killing the Jews was totally evil, but apart from that, his methods were very good and worth exploring. This was Yusufbhaisaheb Najmuddin Saheb.

Go figure.

The rest is history - unless there's another revolution among Bohras.

While YN Studied Hitler, now the tables are turned. People are studying YN.[/quote]

Similarities between Yusuf Najmuddin and Narendra Modi :-

In Modi’s Gujarat, Hitler is a textbook hero
from The Times of India, Ahmedabad, Sept 30, 2004.

Gandhi is not so great, but Hitler is. Welcome to high school education in Narendra Modi’s Gujarat, where authors of social studies textbooks published by the Gujarat State Board of School Textbooks have found faults with the freedom movement and glorified Fascism and Nazism.

While a Class VIII student is taught ‘negative aspects’ of Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement, the Class X social studies textbook has chapters on ‘Hitler, the Supremo’ and ‘Internal Achievements of Nazism’ presenting a frighteningly uncritical picture of Fascism and Nazism.

The latest innovation “Darees” is demanded in the name of Sayedna Hatim. The Kothar (now known as Hazrate-Imammiyah) has recently introduced many Arabic sounding words like Darees for Jaman, Mavaid for Jamatkhana, Milad for Saalgirah of Sayedna, Anjuman for Jamaat, Nawazishat for sale of titles like Shaikh, NKD, Kalamate-Nooraniya for words spoken by Sayedna, Hazrate-Imamiyah for the establishment of Sayedna etc.

Darees in Arabic at the most can be translated as “Dining table”. How can it be related to a noble soul like of Sayedna Hatim. The name of Sayedna Hatim is being exploited today to play with the sentiments of Bohras in order to extort money from them.

Therefore I think it will not be out of place to know what Sayedna Hatim was and how the word “Darees” originated.

Sayedna Hatim s/o Sayedna Ibrahim –al-Hamid (Kuddsullaho ruhaho) was the 3rd Bohra Yemeni Dai. His Dawat was limited to the I-land of Yemen only. He lived a simple life of devotion like Hazarat Ali ibne Talib. He used to grow date trees for his income and survival. He never used a pie from Baitul-Mal (public treasury) for his personal needs. He used to keep the students in his own house and give them “Daras” (religious education) and feed them from Baitul-Mal in day time. In the night he used to write books for the guidance of people.

Sayedna Hatim stayed in Hariz but he faced strong opposition from a group in Sana. He therefore had placed his Mazoon Sayedi Mohammad bin Tahir and after his death his Mazoon Sayedi Ali bin Mohammad bin Valid in Sana, who were instructed to personally discuss the matter with the opponents showing utmost love and respect to them and argue with them on the basis of books written by him.

Sayedna Hatim cared for the poor and took great care in spending the Baitul-Mal money among them. He himself used to live such a simple life that often visitors used to wonder.

He died on 7th January 1199. It is a record that a large numbers of his opponents were present in his funeral.
His Daras had become very popular as it produced many virtuous personalities and it remained in the memory of the Bohras. Following his footsteps 43rd Dai Sayedna Abde Ali Saifuddin Saheb had established “Saifee Daras" in Surat which is now named as Jamiya Saifiya.

But the present Sayedna started “Darees” instead of Daras in the name of Sayedna Hatim.

If a person delebrately wastes his time in the activities of self-glorification, in unnecessary rituals like Qadambosi, Vadhavni, Ziyafat, in meeting politicians to present them gifts and has no time to read and think and enhance his knowledge, can he ever find time to write so many books and provide guidance?

As for Misaq is concerned it was for Imam and not for Dai and it was a political necessity during the Ismaili Imams’ underground movement. Later on the Misaq for Imam became customary ritual during Dawat’s period till it was manipulated by Sayedna Taher Saifuddin by adding Dai with Imam and made compulsory condition of being a Dawoodi Bohra in order to establish his absolute control over the community.

They talk so much about Sayedna Hatim but conveniently forget what the same Sayedna Hatim had said in his book Tohfatul Quloob about Misaq:

“It does not behove a Dai to subscribe a single word of the Misaq towards himself.”

Sayedna Hatim has also reproduced the “Caution” which original writer of “Qualifications of A Dai-ul-Mutlaq”, Ahmed bin Mohammad Neshapuri has given in the footnote that:-

“If a Dai does not posses the qualities these qualifications in reality and is called Dai, then it is only without meaning. It will not benefit. It is useless to hope for any spiritual profit from such Dai. Such Dai is a sin and he is a sort of burden over the community.“

It is a fact that present Dai does not posses a single quality out of 94 qualities prescribed by Ahmed Neshapuri and Sayedna Hatim. Therefore it is necessary that this warning or caution should be read out loudly in each Darees.

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(We are reproducing below an article in two parts which was published by Hamara Mahanagar (Hindi) in two parts — on February 16 and 17. Written largely with the eveninger’s Muslim readers in mind, the piece gives a telling account of how the Syedna runs his nasty empire).

Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin is neither God nor a Prophet. But his followers believe that if he so decides, the Syedna can gift anyone a ticket to Paradise. This is a matter of faith for the Bohra community and we see no reason to comment on the same. After all, if millions do see god in a clay idol, it is neither a matter of surprise nor criticism if some choose to elevate a flesh–and–bones human being to the status of god.

But when non–Bohra Muslims — who claim to have faith in the one and only God and his Prophet, and who have enormous respect for the first four khalifas (Caliphs) of Islam — start crying themselves hoarse in support of a person who does not subscribe to the essentials of their faith, and who seven years ago had publicly abused the first three Khalifas in his speech leading to the first ever Sunni–Bohra riots, some hard questions need to be raised. What is it that propels them to rise to the defence of someone who is so opposed to their basic believes?

The first question that comes to mind is whether they, too, have accepted the Syedna as their religious head. Or, is it that money–power is at work and that they have prostrated themselves before the Syedna’s wealth just as the followers of Moses had done before the magician Samri’s golden calf? If an answer to these questions can be found, they will reveal the real reasons why so many non–Bohra Muslim leaders revere the Syedna.

The Syedna has kept the entire Bohra community in terror over the past 50 years. Earlier, his sovereignty was limited to his own community. But in the last ten years he has successfully identified and cultivated mercenaries among non–Bohras who play dubious games with other Muslims merely to help maintain the Syedna’s religious empire. Needless to say, such stooges are duly rewarded and they play an important role in buying the loyalty of Urdu newspapers to the Bohra head priest.

Apart from this, the Syedna also commands a team of goons to crush his adversaries. Nearly seven years ago, from a stage in a Bohra mohalla in Mumbai, the Syedna had used foul and abusive language against the wife of the Prophet and the first three khalifas who succeeded him. A moulvi from the Sunni sect who objected to this was thrashed by the Syedna’s henchmen at his prompting and this led to the first ever Sunni–Bohra riot which continued for three days.

In the midst of that conflict, some of the Syedna’s agents from among the Bohras and the Sunni community had approached the owner of an Urdu daily offering a briefcase full of currency notes in lieu of support for the Bohra high priest. But the owner of the daily had to reject the offer since a majority of the daily’s readers were Sunnis and passions were still running high because the Syedna had abused the Prophet’s wife. Judging by the current eagerness of the Urdu papers (from Mumbai) to rush to the Syedna’s rescue, it is difficult to believe that it was the same people who seven years ago had refused the Syedna’s bribe.

To ensure that his paid lackeys continue to sing his tune, the Syedna has set aside a huge fund to benefit prominent non–Bohra Muslims. Whenever the Syedna’s henchmen find that any Muslim person of some standing, journalist or intellectual is in financial difficulty, they approach him at their own initiative to offer assistance. It is through such assistance that they are corrupted and their loyalty assured. All those who are on the Syedna’s side today are those very people who have been beneficiaries of his largesse. Pick up any Urdu paper and you will find it full of statements in the Syedna’s support and not a sentence against him.

This is how the arrangement works: on the Syedna’s birthday every year, a full–page advertisement is released in all Urdu newspapers at double the normal rate. How will such newspapers ever publish a statement critical of the Bohra high priest? It is of course a different matter that it does not cost much to buy the allegiance of Urdu newspapers. Since Rs.20,000–25,000 is all it takes to tie a collar around the necks of the editors or owners of Urdu newspapers, it’s a good deal.

The entire attention of the Syedna and his sycophants remains focussed on buying up non–Bohra Muslim journalists, intellectuals, moulvis and newspapers. After all, that is how the Syedna is able to impress upon politicians that he is not only the religious head of the small community of Bohra Muslims, but he also enjoys the respect of Muslims from other sects too.
To create this impression, on Id Day every year, the Syedna’s agents round up prominent Muslims immediately after the Id prayers and herd them to the Syedna’s mansion (the Prophet of Islam never owned a mansion but this dharamguru resides in one). There, they all reverentially kiss the Syedna’s hands following which each select invitee receives an expensive shawl and a ‘packet’ depending on his assessed worth.

When I was editing an Urdu newspaper, the Syedna’s agents had tried in the beginning to take me, too, to offer my respects to the high priest on Id day. But I told them that I would rather go to the graves of my grandparents after namaaz to pray for them. And that there was no question of my going to pay respects to a person with whom I am in intellectual and ideological disagreement.

As I have written earlier, if the Syedna is indeed a follower of the Prophet, he should lead his life in accordance with his words and deeds. While the Prophet declared an amnesty even for his worst enemies when he entered Mecca as a victor, the Syedna cannot bear a word of censure against himself. What kind of a religious leader is the Syedna who reserves for himself the right to abuse the Prophet’s wife and highly respected first khalifas but who instigates his men to violence the moment anyone dares criticise him?

Prominent Muslims who go to pay their respects to the Syedna on Id day have their photos taken in the company of the high priest. These are then circulated amongst political leaders to impress them with the Syedna’s clout so that they can be kept under fear of the Muslim vote bank.

With the aid of his cronies, the Syedna has virtually turned that part of the posh Malabar Hill locality in Mumbai where he stays into a virtual Vatican City. Each time he travels, his car is preceded and followed by uniformed private security guards on motor–cycles — four in front and four at the rear. The Syedna occupies no government or political post. Who then has given him the authority and privilege to claim such preference on public roads? Or is he above the Constitution? The Syedna is able to avail of all this paraphernalia only on the strength of the vast funds at his disposal and his claim of being a religious head.

For security reasons, no one is permitted on the tarmac at the airports to receive any person unless the VIP in question has been granted special permission by the government. But over two years ago, the then minister for civil aviation, CM Ibrahim issued a special VIP card to the Syedna. His lieutenants can now drive up to the aircraft to receive the high priest. Interestingly, the Syedna contributed Rs10 lakh to a college in Bangalore being built by the same Ibrahim. Put the two things together and there you have the secret of the Syedna’s clout.

Incidentally, Asghar Ali Engineer is not the only one to have been at the receiving end of the Syedna’s wrath. The late Moin Shakir, a Sunni Muslim and a progressive historian from Aurangabad, was one among his many targets. Professor Shakir’s ‘crime’ consisted in the fact that he was one of the members of the Justice Nathwani Commission appointed in 1978 to inquire into the tyrannies of the Syedna and his coterie. There was little that the Syedna could do to Shakir while he was alive, but he sought his revenge after the latter’s death in 1987. At the instigation of the high priest’s henchmen, four months after Moin’s death, some of the Syedna’s paid agents from within the Sunni Muslim community in Aurangabad raised a dispute. Since Shakir was a communist, his body cannot rest in a graveyard for Muslim believers, they claimed. Their demand was that Shakir’s body be dug out from the grave and thrown out. The gathering storm that was deliberately stoked settled only after the kazi of Aurangabad city and the vice–amir of the Jamaat–e–Islami strongly condemned the Syedna–inspired mischief makers, saying, “since Shakir never described himself as a kafir, his faith was a matter between him and Allah; and no one else has any right to sit in judgement on the issue.’ Had the Aurangabad kaazi and the vice–amir of the Jamaat–e–Islami not been true to their calling, the Syedna’s agents in Aurangabad would not have rested till they had thrown the mortal remains of a Muslim scholar like Shakir out of the graveyard.

Religious leaders who play politics in the name of faith are forever insecure about their hold on their flock. Which is why they are always anxious to silence the voice of anyone who criticises or opposes them. Because they are unable to muzzle their opponents in democratic ways, they resort to violence. When even that fails, they deploy the most potent weapon at their disposal — the fatwa. The origin of fatwa politics can be traced back to the Church and the Pope. By the end of the 18th century, the Pope’s fatwa had lost its sting. But the same weapon is now being deployed within the Muslim community as never before.
Whenever the need is felt to malign or marginalise someone, it is declared that he/she is no longer a Muslim. Once such a declaration is made, barely literate and simple–minded Muslims take the mullah’s word on face value without seeking confirmation of the claim. In the past, fatwas have been issued even against people like Sir Sayyed Ahmed Khan and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, declaring them as ‘mischievous Muslim’, ‘kafir’, ‘atheist’, etc.

The Syedna, too, deploys the fatwa weapon against his critics with great cunning. How potent his weapon is can be gauged from the fact that his agents felt bold enough to use it against an Islamic scholar of the stature of professor Moin Shakir. What can one say of the fact that Aurangabad’s Muslims came close to giving such a mean treatment to a man who wrote more than 10 books on Islamic history and culture.

In the past Engineer, too, has been denounced as a kafir, a person who is anti–Muslim and anti–Quran. Mention the word Engineer before an ordinary Muslim today and he will immediately parrot the charge of his being anti–Islam. Is it not extremely unfortunate that such is their attitude towards a scholar of shariah and fiqh, who has through his books and columns in newspapers repeatedly challenged misinterpretations of the Quran or the Hadith? Because Engineer posed a danger to the mercenary mullahs, they decided that the best way to deal with him was to snap his ties with the average Muslim through resort to fatwa politics. For this reason alone did the professional mullahs dub Engineer un–Islamic.

Unfortunately, by dubbing him as anti–Islam they have cut him off not only from the Bohras but from the larger Muslim community, too. It is of course another matter that those who call him anti–Islam are unable to cite anything from his writings to prove their case. The mullahs and the high priests mislead the simple-minded community of believers in the same measure as they place their trust in such leaders.

Prominent among those who have today chosen to side with the Syedna are the very people who seven years ago had lead a morcha against the same man. The same Syedna who until yesterday was an ‘enemy of Sunnis’ is suddenly being presented today as a sage. It would appear that the Syedna’s gift shawls and ‘packets’ every Id have succeeded in melting the hearts of the Sunni mullahs.

So burdened are the spokespersons of the Ulema Council and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board by the Syedna’s largesse that they have even forgotten the teachings of the Prophet of Islam: “When you are asked to speak the truth, testify even against yourself”. Apart from the Ulema Council and the All-India Personal Law Board, the Syedna also contributes generously to the Aligarh Muslim University. Similarly, at the time of natural calamities, the Syedna makes generous contributions to the relief funds of the governments at the Centre and in the states.

Whenever his own authority is called into question, the Syedna seeks the shelter of the Muslim community. But whenever the Muslim community as a whole is targeted in the form of riots etc., he is quick to distance himself and the Bohras from the rest of the Muslims. Of this there are several examples.

During the 1992–93 riots in Mumbai, when the Shiv Sena had let loose a reign of terror against the Muslim community, the Syedna contacted Bal Thackeray and struck a secret deal. Following this, Thackeray had declared that though Bohras are part of the Muslim community, they are businessmen with whom “we have no dispute”. This way, the Syedna very smartly disassociated himself from all those who were being targeted by the Sena simply because they were Muslims.

The Syedna and his agents have had a long–standing equation with the Shiv Sena. During the Sunni-Bohra riots seven years ago, the city was rife with rumour that Thackeray has sent his sainiks into Bohra mohallas to protect them from the Sunnis. Our readers will recall that on the occasion of his 73rd birthday last month, the Syedna had personally visited the residence of ‘Hinduhridaysamrat’ Bal Thackeray to felicitate him. It should be noted here that the same Syedna, who sees himself as a religious head priest and never goes to meet any political person, saw it fit to visit Thackeray on his birthday.

This can mean one of two things: either the Syedna considers Thackeray to be a more exalted religious authority than himself or that he fears the Sena chief and therefore wants to keep him in good humour. Or, it could mean that Thackeray and the Syedna are old pals. As it is unlikely that the Syedna treats Thackeray as a higher religious authority, it could only mean that he is either the latter’s old pal or that he is scared of him.

Now, if the Syedna is scared of a mere mortal like Thackeray, what kind of a dharam guru is he? But if he is an old friend of the Sena supremo, he should tell us how old their friendship is. Since the 1984 Bhiwandi riots, or since the 1992–93 riots? It is unlikely that the Syedna will answer this question but knowledgeable sources say the friendship between Thackeray and the Syedna is as old as Thackeray’s anti–Muslim politics.

If the Syedna is truly a spiritual person and a high priest, why does he need Thackeray to protect his flock from the Shiv Sainiks ire? If he indeed possesses the spiritual power to issue passports to heaven, here and now, to any person he likes, why does he need goons to deal with an opponent like Engineer? Surely, his spiritual power is more than adequate to deal with people like Engineer!

(Sajid Rashid who is currently editor of Hamara Mahanagar (Hindi) was formerly the features editor of Urdu Times).

His granddaughter Ms Zarina Patel is in Kenya and another granddaughter Ms Batul Jeevanjee has retired in Vancouver BC.

Zarina Patel's book "Challenge to Colonialism" encompasses the struggle of one Bohra Businessman, a philanthropist and a fighter for equal rights in Kenya. She has also used the story of Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee, her maternal grandfather, to highlight the story of a people. Through her well-researched work, she has demonstrated the important role played by the Indians in the early resistance to the colonial rule in Kenya.

Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee (AMJ) was born in 1856 in Karachi (now in Pakistan) in a traditional Bohra home where education was almost entirely centered on religion. The Bohra clergy was opposed to the western education and modern sciences restricting the entire community to a narrow intellectual base. It was a time when Industrial Revolution had started bringing dramatic growth in the world trade.

When AMJ was around 20 years old he escaped from Karachi and then, in the school of survival, he learnt to think and act independently. Escaping from the narrow confines of a conservative Bohra society he found a wide world of modern trade opportunities. He was brave enough to take up the challenges of life.

Though not much educated he soon became fluent in English. However, he found two biggest hurdles in his way, first a conscious policy of British government of favoring foreign rather than Indian capital and second the Bohra religious leadership’s desire to dominate and subdue their followers.

After going through various hardships, Jeevanjee’s entrepreneurial ability led him to do business with the Imperial British East African Company and Uganda Railway to built substantial parts of early Nairobi. His success in business can be judged form the fact that at the start of the 20th century he was worth $4,000,00. He was the first non-white appointed to represent the interests of the Indians in the Legislative Council (Legco) which was established in 1905.

Those who appointed him may have expected that a man of his riches would be conservative and protector of the colonial status quo. But he was of a different mettle. The prime objective of this council was to safeguard and champion the interests of the people who emigrated from abroad to settle in Kenya. The racial discrimination denied even to Mr. AMJ the right to live in some parts of the town in which he was greatly instrumental in building.

He entered politics and formed East African Indian National Congress and launched the first important non-white newspaper, The African Standard in 1901, which is present day’s East African Standard.

In her 283 pages book Zarina Patel has narrated the history of struggle of AMJ who moved from rags to riches and again lost it all. The book makes a very interesting reading. The description of events, their intricate details, as well as documented references and the fluent description make you to go through the entire book in one sitting. The book is divided into nine parts and 23 chapters.

Zarina Patel describes the endgame of AMJ’s political career, the Devonshire Declaration, Acceptance of realities and Injection of Radicalism and AMJ’s retirement from politics in Part 6. Part 7 deals with Legal Engagements.

In part 8 in the Social Dimensions of AMJ’s life, Zarina Patel gives an insight of AMJ’s social concern and his philanthropic work. AMJ rebuilt and enlarged the Bohra mosque in Mombasa at a cost of Rs. 50,000 in 1901. But our mindless and revengeful Bohra clergy demolished and leveled this beautiful mosque in1982 which was one of the historical landmark in Mombasa. AMJ’s family could not save it from destruction as UNESCO sponsored “The Old Town Conservation Project” came after three years in 1985.

Strange are the revengeful ways of the Bohra religious leaders. The said mosque in Mombasa that was already existing, was rebuilt by AMJ making it more spacious and a monumental piece of art. The Bohras were offering prayers in that mosque for more than a 100 years, and the prayers were led by the Sayedna’s appointed Amils.

For more than a 100 years no-one found fault with that mosque but in 1982 our present Sayedna Burhanuddin Saheb suddenly found that the Quibla in the mosque was placed wrongly and the whole mosque was razed to the ground. Even if the Quibla was wrongly placed it could have been corrected without leveling down the entire mosque.

The Bohra religious establishment takes no pride in having had AMJ as a member of the community, nor does it recognizes any of his great contributions whether political, economic or philanthropic. Alibhai Jeevanjee has done enormous philanthropic work both for the Bohra community and the general public in East Africa and in India and Pakistan.

Mosques, cemetery lands, community halls, schools, public places like gardens, roads and shops were built by him. Zarina Patel has given a detailed account of his welfare work. His contributed to put the Hakimia Madrasa in Burhanpur on sound financial footing. AMJ was one of the few stalwarts who had publicly stood by the sons of Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy during the trials of Chandabhai Galla case.

Interestingly the second wife of AMJ, Dayambai was from Sir Adamji Peerbhoy’s family. She was bribed and offered a property and large sums of money by Sayedna Taher Saifuddin to take divorce from AMJ but she refused. She was then excommunicated and she and her children were abused and stoned on the streets.

The Ford Foundation had sponsored the researched work and the publication of Zarina Patel’s book and it is partly financed by Sir Yusufali Charitable trust. Zarina Patel has done an in-depth research before taking up the actual writing of the book. She has taken great pains in going through newspaper publications in the early part of the century, National Archives in Kenya and in New Delhi, maps and photographs of early Nairobi, library in Malegaon with the Roshan Khayal Jamat etc.

The printing quality of the book is excellent and the inclusion of the photos and illustrations has made it more attractive. As Zarina says, “In this book I have documented AMJ’s historical contribution and placed it within the context of the Asian struggle in, and it’s significance to, Kenya. As we learn more about our past, we are better able to understand the present and plan for the future.”

Published in 1997 it is marketed and distributed in Kenya by:
Publishers Distribution Services (PDS)
P.O. Box 30080, Nairobi.

11. We now take a leap of 35 years, and come to the decision of Justice Marten, later Chief Justice, in Advocate-General of Bombay v. Yusufalli 24 Bom. L. R., 1060, (popularly known as the Chandabhai Gulla's case). The admirable judgment of Mr. Justice Marten deals with many questions; but I'll deal only with a few of them. Put simply, the Advocate-General contended that the Mullaji Saheb, the religious head of Dawoodi Bohras, held certain properties in trust for the Dawoodi Bohra community, and prayed for a declaration to that effect and for consequential relief's. The answer of the Mullaji Saheb was that he was a god or practically a God; that he had the powers enjoyed by the Prophet Mahomed. Further, he was infallible and immaculate and even if he was a trustee, he was not accountable to any court. Mr. Justice Marten held that the Mullaji was neither a God nor practically a God; that he did not enjoy the powers of the Prophet; that even if infallible and immaculate he was a subject to the civil and criminal laws of India. Applying the Muslim Law of Trusts, it was held that the Mullaji Saheb was a trustee of the named properties and accountable as a trustee.

12. As to the mishaq whereby a follower of the Mullaji dedicated his tan (body), man (mind), and dhan (wealth) to the Mullaji, Mr. Justice Marten held, first, that in 1921 the formula of mishaq was 90 years old and obsolete; that in the witness box the Mullaji Saheb had disclaimed certain powers which the formula conferred on him. Further, the formula entitled the Mullaji to keep slaves which under s. 370 I. P. C. was a criminal offence. Secondly, as to the Mullaji's claim to his followers' property, there was no evidence to support the claim, that it had never been taken seriously; that the Madras case was on all fours and the mishaq would be a slavery bond and void, for as held in the Madras case nobody could agree to be the slave of a religious head. This decision rejecting the Mullaji's claim to his followers property was accepted by the Mullaji before the privy Council: (75 I.A. p.1.at p. 7)

13. These cases raised no question of excommunication. That question arose in 1947 in Hasanali v. Mansoorali (75 I.A. 1.) The appellants contended before the Privy Council that their excommunication by the respondent Mullaji Saheb was illegal and void. The Privy Council held that the Mullaji and the power to excommunicate, but it was not an absolute, untrammeled, and arbitrary power, but had to be exercised fairly and reasonably. Further, the power could be validly exercised only by conforming to the formal requirements for its exercised specified by the Privy Council. A court could then decide whether the formalities had been complied with, and whether here was any evidence to justify excommunication. As the formalities had been complied with in excommunicating the appellants, the Privy Council declared the excommunication void and granted an appropriate injunction, without prejudice to the Mullaji Saheb's power to make and enforce rules for the proper management of the Dargah properties provided that the rules were fair, reasonable, and not aimed at oppressing either of the appellants.

14. Speaking in 1921, Mr. Justice Marten said: "The British Government brings to its subjects, as a general rule, liberty of the person, liberty of conscience, liberty of speech and last, but perhaps not least, equality of man in the sight of the law.. (However), liberty must not degenerate into license. Hence the law has to impose restraints on those who misuse the privilege of a free citizen. The slanderer..is restrained by the law of libel, the thief by the Indian Penal Code": (24 Bom. L.R. at pp. 1090-91). Alter the first sentence to read "The Constitution of India brings to its citizens" and you will find Justice Marten's view repeated in countless judgements of our Supreme Court and our High Courts.

As far as I have observed, I don't think or hope for any revolution among the Bohras. These peoples are so much brained washed, particularly the young generation that they only think of Mola and Mola ... no one else, not even their Parents. Just 2 days back on 12.Feb.2013, A Young Bohra by the Name of Idrees Bhai Rangwala was shot and killed at his Sanitary Shop at Gulbahar Colony Nazimabad. His Brother Critically Injured was rushed to the Hospital. 2 other people at his shop who were normal customer were also shot dead in stray Firing. I was at the time in the Market for shopping. I came to know that the deceased person was from Haidry Mohallaha. After Magrib Namaz I went to Haidry from my home in Clifton, just to get some detail news. When I reached Haidry I was shocked to see that every Bohra is going toward Masjid for Tabudat Amal and Darees . No one was interested to talk or hear about the dead person. Our community has become what we call in URDU ' BEY HISS' When they wake in the Morning they start Talking of Maula, Tabudat,Jaman, Niaz and Kothar and these topic ends till they go to sleep.

Last Year in Feb. 2012 More than 1400 Bohras and their Companies were caught in Sales Tax Fraud. Out of these 340 Bohras Individuals were involved in Making Fake Input and Output Invoices including Fake Bill of entries and Custom Documents. Other Bohras were the Peoples who were buying the input invoices for claim with the Government. It came into notice when suddenly the FBR (Federal Bureau of Revenue) found that their Server were Hacked in Lahore and Billons of Rupees Fraud made through Fake invoice. They with the Help of FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) and CID start probing the matter in detail.

Raids started and 350 Bohras were caught and FIR was launched. They were thrown in Main Central Jail with strict interrogation. Other 1000 Bohras were issued notice to Deposit the Fraud amount into the Government Treasury. Many with the big amount of 20 Crores and more were asked to pay in 12 installments with advance cheques. FIA and Police Raided Bohras Home in whole Karachi between 2 to 5 am in the Morning and Handcuffed the Bohras and took them to interrogations cell from where their they were took to the High Court and to jail. 90 % Bohras had a Long Beard and Topi. The FIA official abused them and gave vulgar remarks on the communal activities. They said that “ You people make frauds of Billions of Rupees and give money for charity to your community in the form of Zakat , Niaz and wajebat” Don’t ever your Mullahs ask you where these huge amount comes from ? It is interested to note that Burhani Guard youngsters were also involved in selling the Fake input invoice and they were also in the Lockup.

The FBR and Police with Special Guns and Commandos raided Bohras Shop and took Many Mian Sahib to the CID Office where they were tortured and then ordered them to issue the cheques in 12 installments, because these Mian sahibs were involved in more then 80 – 90 crores frauds. I want to confess that I was also issued a notice to pay 10 lakhs. I did astakfar and for 40 nights I Prayed Bihori namaz and 1000 Astakfar. I cried in Sajda and asked GOD to forgive me, though I had done a small crime in comparison to other Bohras but I know that Wrong is wrong and theft is theft no matter the amount. I know that what is done can’t be undone, but from that day I am trying to be honest and since 1 year I am paying the actual Tax to the Government from what I get.

Out of 350 Bohras, many ran for Dubai and Malaysia in one night. Mulla Tahir Bhai Karimi , and His brother Muhammad Bhai NKD ( Godhrawala) were sent for special interrogation to Islamabad, Once when I went to the FIA Cell to meet one of my friend I saw some Horrible scene. Bohras Youngsters along with Burhani Guard Youngsters were kneeled down and were crying and praying to God Almighty to help them and forgive them. Many were doing Matam and some were reciting Yasin. Farman from the Kothar came that Mumin should avoid wearing Topi when they are Taken to Court. Kothar also said that we can’t do anything as Crime has to pay.

The Head of CBR Karachi Division was Mahnoor Baluch. He was the Man of Principal. Bohras offered him millions of Rupees to release them just for a day or two so they may take the flight to Dubai, but he refused. Instead he interviewed many bohras and recorded the statement. He said when I interviewed the Bohra People some of the Youngsters said that they don’t get any sorts of help from their community. They said that the community asks them for some sort of Wajibat and Sabeel (Other taxes) which they are unable to pay, so to survive in the community they have to adopt these types of Fraud. Some said that they have to go for Ziarat and 10 days Muharam with the Pir Saheb. Many Big Mia Sahib confessed that they have to offer Ziafat and pay more than the normal people so they have to take the Fraud Path.

In the End the Head of the CBR said that Someday I will go to Mumbai and Visit the Pir Sahib and give him the recording of his followers.

After 2 months in Jail all the Bohra’s were release from the Jail on Bail which minimum amounted to 25 Lakhs per Bail and 3 + Crore for each person to pay in 24 months. After getting out of Jail the Bohras asked the High Court for stay order as they are unable to pay the amount. I have come to know that names of these Bohras have also been placed in the Exit Control List.
No one can challenge me or my statement as I was Myself involved in this case, but as I was the input buyer I and many other Bohras were protected by the SUPREME Court Judgment , which is true in the eyes of our law but I know that I am ‘ GUNHAGAR’ in front of my GOD .

I want to mention that 100% Bohras Businessman were involved in this Fraud. Even the Jamat Secretaries or the Bhai Sahebs with individual Business were issued notices.

Some more on the Atrocities committed by Dai and his henchmen in the African Continent

by Al Zulfiqar » Thu Jul 17, 2008

In the whole of Africa, there used to be only one and sole ziyarat which naturally became the focal point for all bohras throughout East Africa and beyond during the annual urus. This was of Syedi Ismailji Bhaisaheb in Kismayu, Somalia. The actual little town of about 50,000 in the 60's consisted of about 75 bohra houses at its peak. Over the years most of them left elsewhere in search of better prospects until when finally Somalia disintegrated in 1990, only 18 houses remained.

The upkeep of the Qabrastan, Masjid and the feeding, housing and all other expenses of the hundreds of pilgrims who attended was borne by the Karimbhai family, the only wealthy family in Somalia. There used to be a functioning Amil in Kismayu for many years, but when the numbers dwindled, he had to be sent back as it became no longer viable to bear his expenses. The bohras in Kismayu were generally so poor that many of them survived by selling ice made in gas run fridges and/or corn breads made at home. There was no electricity there until 1988 ! Some few families had small groceries and gen. stores, and could hardly afford one good meal. Many of them had never traveled outside of their own town in their entire life !The Karimbhai family of Mogadishu and a few benefactors from Kenya and Tanzania helped the majority of poor bohras by sending money, providing gas fridges, clothes, and giving them goods to sell without any pre-conditions.

After the electricity came, suddenly after many years, a Kothars rep. was sent from Kenya to collect the dues from all the bohras of Somalia, numbering about 75-80 souls in total. After fleecing the Karimbhais, the fellow wanted to go to Kismayu, (of course at their expense) to loot the very poor Kismayu bohras. He was advised about their condition, but he went and inspite of their extreme poverty, by threats and force, still collected some sums! His argument was where is the Vajebaat, Zakaat, Sabeel etc which is to be gifted to the Syedna, of all these past years? By giving it they will earn Sawaab and will prosper with the Dua of the Dai...etc blah blah blah. many of them borrowed money or sold possessions to pay this man.

When I went there soon after, I was shocked to see (with my medical background) that there were about 17-18 old people who were in serious need of expert medical help, but there were hardly any doctors in this god-forsaken place and they had no money anyways. Simple things like cataracts could not be removed, some were suffering from dementia and extreme depression due to their isolation, there were atleast 3-4 suspected cases (could not be confirmed because of a lack of resources) of mouth cancer because of their severe habit of chewing supari and paan parag, most of them were malnourished and lacked good education, they could not afford spectacles, hearing aids and dentures.. things we take for granted in our world. Their sizes, numbers or needs could not be ascertained so ready made medical specs and hearing aids were sent and they used them as best they could and staggered about like blind men.

All this brought tears to my eyes. How could this bandit have not seen it when he stayed there for a week? The Kothar are the type of people who will snatch milk from the mouths of babies! they are so evil. And after looting them this rascal rubbed further salt into their wounds by getting the kothar to issue a farman banning the Ziyarat in Kismaayu as bakwaas and withdrawing Raza for it ! The real reason was never given, but of course, they could not control the income from the galla (which the Karimbhais utilised to serve the zawaars) and could not swallow it. Besides this villain knew that no one could be posted in such a miserable place to oversee all this. so the solution? Ban the ziyarat itself ! This was shocking news to all the bohras in East Africa in those days, but none had the guts to ask for an explanation!

Some more on the Atrocities committed by Dai and his henchmen in the African Continent
by Al Zulfiqar » Thu Jul 17, 2008
FURTHER TO THE ABOVE POST, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE FOLLOWING.

Being born in Mombasa, Kenya in a family that has its beginning there since the late 1880s I have some supplemental information to share.

Syedi Ismaili Bhaisaheb was the person sent by Kothar to collect Wajebaat from Bohras who lived in East Africa. He was to arrive by sea and the date of his arrival was conveyed to the Jamaat in Mombasa but he happened to arrive a day earlier. On seeing the trepidation on his face a local Hindu businessman who happened to be at the port took him home. The Jamaat members on learning about the confusion went to the Hindu's home. The Bhaiaheb told the jamaat members that since he has already been hosted by the Hindu businessman he would continue to stay there. The Bhaisaheb hosted his bayaans, etc. and collected Wajebaat and other dues. Bohras from other centres came to pay their respects and Wajebaat. On being told about the families in Kisamyu, Somalia he expressed the desire to visit them.

Somalia lies in the northeastern parts of Africa and shares its borders with Kenya. The whole area is semi-desert with nomadic people tending camel and goats. The roads very rough and there was danger of ambush by bandits.

I lack information as to how he travelled there but know that soon after his arrival he passed away. He was buried in the Bohra Kabrastan where the local caretaker started noticing a glow on the Turbat at Maghreb time. On conveying the information and the local Bohras having witnessed the glow word spread throughout East Africa. A prominent family who had its business in KIsmayu and Mombasa took it upon itself to arrange Ziarat trips by bus from Mombasa. The family was Tayabali Karimjee Kudrati and his now late son Mohsinbhai was the person organized the Ziarat. I remember each year four to five bus loads of people went to Kismayu. Eventually people from Uganda joint the convoy. Moshsinbhai spent most of the year reconnoitering the roads, organizing visas and overnight stops, provision of meals, security, etc. He bore personal expenses to bribe officials at check posts. Bohra men and women of all ages, including sometimes children undertook the journey to be blessed.

Soon Kothar became envious of the popularity of Bhaisaheb's Ziarat and issued firmans to undermine and finally the demoted the status of his powers to heal and bless.

Some Info on the boycott of Bombay Mercantile Bank episode by the wicked Mafias of Saifee Mahal :-

The Dawoodi Bohra's
By Kalpana Sharma

The demonstrations held outside the head office and several branches of the Bombay Mercantile Cooperative Bank by orthodox Bohras in mid-May symbolised one of the central aspects of the on-going struggle within the Dawoodi Bohra community. Ostensibly the demonstrators only wanted the bank to stop giving interest because they claimed this was against Islam. The Mercantile Bank, the demonstrators insisted, was a Muslim bank and therefore should adhere to Islamic tenets.

The covert motivations of the orthodox Bohras demonstrating outside the bank, or those who were instrumental in organising the demonstrations, tell another story.

There has been a struggle for reform within the Dawoodi Bohra community for many years. This small Muslim sect, numbering around one million and spread over 35 countries, dates back to the 10th century AD when the Ismailias organised a secret religio-political movement in Iraq because of the prevailing circumstances of the Abbasid empire. The nature of the sect required that every member take a secret oath of allegiance - called a Misaq - to the head of the community. This oath covered not just religious matters but encroached upon many other aspects of life.

Breaking the covenant was not just frowned upon but involved serious repercussions for the transgresser. For instance, it could mean that "Whatever he owns from property, assets, real estate, wealth, jewels, agriculture, milch cattle…. Will be seized and distributed among the poor, needy and indigent Muslims and nothing out of it will return to him whatever ruses he adopts." Furthermore, "all his wives and whom he will marry in future will be treated as divorced."

Essentially the same structure and a similar oath have continued to be an intrinsic feature of the Dawoodi Bohras who are directly descended from the Ismailia sect. The Dai-ul-Mutlaq, or the head of the community, appoints a successor. At the age of 15 every Bohra has to take the Misaq. This oath of allegiance to a living human being and the concept of a priestly class marks the Bohras as apart from the rest of Islam.

The Bohra chief, or the Syedna, has extraordinary powers of control over the community. For instance, he collects taxes which exceed Rs.11 crores each year from his half million followers in India. How these funds are used is left to him to decide. Bohras questioning either the Syedna's lifestyle or the necessity for such a far-reaching oath in these times, have been subject to social boycott officially sanctioned by the Syedna and threats and harassment of an extreme nature.The combination of this control over the minds of his followers, as well as of their pocketbooks, makes the Syedna practically invincible. Being the head of a minority community means that he can safely assume that no ruling political party will touch the issue of reform within the Bohra community for fear of exciting communal passions.

With this knowledge the Syedna lives in a palatial mansion in Malabar Hill and chooses to spend Rs.4 crores to build a mausoleum in the memory of the last Syedna, while students of a Bohra college, the Burhani College in Bombay reveal through a survey that more than 50 per cent of the Bohras in Bombay live below the poverty line and are housed in slums.

The attack on the Mercantile Bank also revolves around economic control. This bank is the largest urban cooperative bank in the country. It started out in 1939 as the Muslim cooperative credit society founded by a group of reformist Bohras. In 1941 it became a full-fledged bank and after 1947 shed its Muslim bias. At present it claims to be a secular bank.

In any event all banks, irrespective of the community they serve, have to follow rules set out by the Reserve Bank of India and cannot arbitrarily decide they will stop giving interest. Besides there are a number of other Muslim banks that also follow the Reserve Bank directives but the orthodox Bohras have not taken any objection to their activities. Therefore, why the Bombay Mercantile Bank?

Mr. Hoseini Doctor, Chairman of the Bank, opined in an interview to "The Economic Times", in July that behind the demonstrations are a few members of the priestly family who either want to gain control of the bank through coercion or want to project the image of being the leaders of Islam in India, thus enhancing their image in the Islamic world.

Mr. Doctor's apprehensions are based on the attempts of the orthodox Bohras to get shareholders to transfer their shares. The demonstrations in May were not merely extolling the tenets of Islam and pointing out how the bank had violated them. The orthodox Bohras expressly attempted to get employees of the bank to resign or face social boycott, asked Bohras to close their accounts and also distributed blank transfer forces to shareholders; the threat of social boycott was held out against those refusing to transfer their shares. Between May 14 and 25, 584 accounts were closed and an amount of Rs.19 lakhs was withdrawn from the bank.

The Bombay Mercantile Bank has sued four of the Bohras who demonstrated outside the bank and the case is before the Bombay High Court. Meantime the court has prohibited the Bohras from demonstrating outside the bank's premises.

There are many ironies in this situation. Three members of the Syedna's family manage businesses which have taken loans on interest from different banks. The father-in-law of one of the Syedna's sons holds a high post in a foreign bank in Bombay. The account for a scholarship established by the previous Syedna is with the Mercantile bank and the present Syedna gave a Silver Plate to the bank in 1972 in appreciation of its services.

These are just some of the facts that give a lie to the orthodox Bohra stand that they object to the bank giving interest and have no other ulterior motives. The May demonstrations have also drawn attention once more to the issue of the authoritarian internal structure of the Bohra community and whether reformist Bohras, as citizens of a democratic country, can legitimately demand that the Government insist on internal changes in the community's set up.

One attempt was made in 1978 by the Janata government when it set up a commission headed by Justice N. P. Nathwani to look into the complaints of Bohra reformists that their civil liberties were being infringed upon. The Nathwani Commission had concluded that there was "large-scale infringement of civil liberties and human rights of reformist Bohras at the hands of the priestly class and those who failed to obey the orders of the Syedna and his Amils (priests), even in purely secular matters are subjected to Baraat (social boycott) resulting in complete social boycott, mental torture and frequent physical assaults." Amongst other things, the Commission recommended that Baraat should be made illegal.

Nothing was done, however, about the Nathwani Commission's recommendations and to this day reformist Bohras cannot be married by their priests, cannot have their family members buried in the community's burial grounds and suffer direct and indirect attacks just for questioning the validity of a structure which to them seems an anachronism.

THE LIES AND PROPAGANDA OF KOTHAR ON THE EVE OF SYEDNA'S SAUDI VISIT :-

A letter being circulated to all jamaats worldwide, the below mention letter is circulated in Toronto Jamaat:

Moazzaz mumineen of the Toronto Anjuman

Baad afzalusalaam

With great joy, we inform you that Aqa Moula(TUS) performed Ta'sis (ground-breaking) ceremony of Mahal-us-Saifee today in Makkah Mukarramah. As you know the Saudis had demolished the original structure built by Syedna Taher Saifuddin(TUS) for Imam-us-Zamaan many years back.

Now that we have re-possessed the land, a "shandar" imarat will rise and beautify the neighbourhood of haram Sharif.

Janab Aamil saheb urges all mumineen to celebrate this event by serving tonight "choba" (sodhamnu) in your homes. It is a victory of great proportions for Aqa Moula (May He remain baki salamat ta hashr) and for all of us - his udna followers. Hak has finally triumphed over "baatil".

Abeede Syedna(TUS)
Anjuman-e-Burhani

Now the real truth is:-

Saudi Government did not give that land back. Rubaat has recieved 39 Million saudi Riyals and they have been provided with new land in Aziziya District where the construction work has started some time back. Syedna did inaugurate this particular site only. Its clearly written even on the Malumaat.com site that he is inaugrating the place in Aziziya. Aziziya district is around 5 kilometer from Haram and "B" category pilgrims get accomodation during Hajj there.

Other activities of Syedna in Makkah Sharif:-

Syedna did not pray Juma Namaz niether did he pray any farz namaz in Masjidul Haram. He comes between 9.00 to 9.30 am, performs two Tawafs and leaves before the Dhuhar (zohar) Prayers.

Bohras do not pray friday prayer (Two Rakat after Khutba) as they don't have any "Adil Imam" on the earth. Being Dai of Imam, he does not fulfil this criteria.

Secondly, How can syedna pray any namaz in Haram with any other Pesh Imam if he cant lead the Namaz himself there ? It would be humiliating and embarrasing for him to do so.

Recent Farmaan issued to Bohras worldwide:-

Momineen, Visitors and Residents are allowed to visit Madina only for one night and that too to Rubaat only. This raza was given on the occassion of the Majlis of Shahadat-e-Imam Hussain (a.s.) on Thursday night (only). An SMS is being circulated so that more and more bohras feel that they are benifitting out of it whereas the truth is that this time kothar is very careful into seeing that bohras dont flock around syedna shouting 'mola mola' with folded hands and indulge in unislamic acts as that would lead to syedna being deported out of Saudi because the saudis take this as a 'haraam' act and consider it as 'shirk'.

Syedna was banned from visiting Saudi because on his last visit as he had performed ziarat on Fatema-tus-Zehra's (a.s.) mazaar which according to the saudis is a 'shirk' due to which he could not go to Makkah or Madina Munnawarah for the last 20 years although he travelled all around the globe all these years and even did Mohurrum vayez in various countries like Dubai, Africa, USA, Sri Lanka.

Hence as per the recent farmaan, visiting Madina on all other days during the stay of Syedna saheb ( probably from Sunday to next Saturday) is prohibited and any one found in Madina (With STD) roaming around Rubaat or Syedna will be dealt with strictly by kothar.

The 46th dai had publicly announced while in Poona, that he was going to declare nass on his successor the next morning, he was in perfectly sound health when he made this statement and the public waited with bated breath. Thousands converged on the Saifee Masjid in city area of Poona the next morning, only to learn with shock and dismay that the 46th Dai had suddenly died in the night. There was no logical explanation offered or ever given. This naturally gave rise to suspicions, most of which were not unreasonable given the circumstances and subsequent developments.

The direction in which our bohra community has been led over the last 6 dais, only serves to vindicate these suspicions and conspiracy theories. The 47th dai was officially titled Dai e Nazim (caretaker or manager dai) and actually addressed as such up until the 50th dai. The present generation of bohras are completely unaware of this history and moreover public memory is short. Facts such as these stand no chance when you have a kothar administration determined to obliterate any unpleasant facts and brings to bear the entire weight of its resources to do so. The 51st dai spared no efforts in dealing with an iron fist any attempts from the ulema of his time to revive these facts. He employed goebbelsian tactics in dealing with this problem. When in trouble, speak lies, the bigger the better, in fact go against the facts and erect a massive structure of contradiction and obfuscation to fool your opponents.

Taher Saifuddin not only discarded Dai e Nazim, but in an act of breathtaking audacity declared himself Dai ul Mutlaq, absolute Dai, with unlimited powers and authority thereby achieving a coup de e'tat.This became typical of his style. Declare 'Fateh Mubin' after losing the Chandabhoy Galla case where he was exposed as a liar and cheat for making highly exaggerated claims of being a god on earth - ilah ul ardh, attack his father in law's family - the luqmani's - for opposing his immoral dalliances and abusing his powers as a Dai, expropriating all bohra jamaat properties to make himself the richest of all bohras by hook or by crook and elevate himself materially above Sir Adamjee Peerbhai, eliminating his detractors physically if they did not fall inline as per his megalomaniac ambitions, and so on..

Where does the question of anyone else claiming to be the 47th rightful dai arise at all? The 46th was silenced before he could reveal his intentions either to the public or even trusted insider sources. The line of successors that have followed have usurped the rights of bohras and perverted the faith to enrich themselves beyond any dreams of avarice.

Due to the negligence of Dr. Shabbir Rangwala and some other doctors at Saify Hospital, North Nazimabad Karachi; a young man, Bhagat Godhrawala, aged 28 years lost his life, his family prior to Eid commemorated ‘Matam’. The ‘Dengue Fever’ case was mishandled by the Doctors and the administration of the hospital. Sources say: "It is not the first case mishandled by the management of ‘Saify Hospital’, almost two or three cases on average each month are mishandled due to which precious lives are lost". Greedy Dr. Rahil, cardiac surgeon, two month back operated a bypass surgery of Saify Mithaiwala just to make money, at the hospital where no proper facility and trained staff available for operation. After 48 hours the patient expired. Two months back, also four patients died due to non healthy oxygen provided by non-standardized cylinders. These deaths were declared after intervals to hide the negligence of Saify Hospital. When patient fortunately recover by chance, the Mullas and management say that you got Shifa by the grace of Doa of Syedna and when patient expires they utter it is the will of Allah. Many patients who expired due to mishandling or carelessness belonged to poor families of the Bohra community. Likewise their illiterate heirs even don’t know the laws and are unaware of their own fundamental rights; they never raise voice against such criminal offences of the doctors and the hospital management.

Sources said: Doctor injected the deceased the wrong medicine, like a butcher, that caused Bhagat’s death.

To hush up the matter and calm down the situation, as a large number of friends and relatives were gathered outside the hospital to ask the condition of their beloved, Dr. Shabbir Rangwala shifted the body on ventilator, to cover his crime. He informed that the patient is in critical phase. Later on some hospital staff revealed the real fact which fired the situation; their relatives demonstrated against the act and approached the police. Police mobile also raided the house of Dr. Shabbir Rangwala, but after giving handsome amount he managed to escape. In the meanwhile, Hospital management immediately contacted the board of Trustees of Saify Hospital, who advised to contact Shaikh Shoaib Haidri. This crook seizes from Saify Hospital an exorbitant amount as ‘Bhatta’ regularly, contacted his uncle-in-law, Pesh Imam of ‘Husami Masjid’, North Nazimabad, Karachi, Amil Shaikh Shabbir Jamali. Shaikh Shabbir, an Indian national, intervened by taking lucrative bribe from Dr. Shabbir Rangwala to suppress the case and save the doctor’s skin. The Pesh Imam called the family members of the deceased and instead of condolence, harassed them severely. He denied performing namaz-e-janaza of deceased until they signed the documents of forgiveness. Friends of the deceased under leadership of Taher Karimi Godhrawala protested against the evil act of Saify Hospital and the Mullas. The aggrieved party also approached for help to the local MQM Nazim, ‘Baboo’, who assured them to help. Later on, notorious Bohra pimp and rapist, Mulla Abbas Maila, who is an acting Secretary’ of Pesh Imam contacted Baboo and asked him to immediately meet the Pesh Imam. When Baboo visited Amil Shaikh Shabbir Jamali, he was advised to close the case and Shaikh Zoaib Taher Mithaiwala, a lucifer, on the spot bribed him five Lakh rupees. Baboo received this amount as ‘Eidi’ and kept silence and betrayed the oppress party.

It is time to think, God forbid, may be the next victim is your family members, whose case would be mishandled in ‘Saify Hospital’ in the same manner. These shameless Bohra Mullas mostly use the most powerful weapon at their wicked disposal to ex-communicate from the community if any person tries to whistle blow their evil acts. This episode could repeat again and again, unless legal action is taken against these criminals. It is matter of shame that like all Bohra Institutions, Saify Hospital is run by non competent crooks like Shaikh Nooruddin Kala, a known fraud person, who continually misused community Niyaz Fund. It is the duty of our educated class to stop these practices of ignorance and break our silence to eliminate signs of crimes from our community. In this manner Syedna will be happy and bestow wholesome Dua on us.

‘Long live Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin’ and may Allah give us courage to kick these culprits out of Syedna’s Institutions, whether they are Amils, Shaikhs or Trustees.

By Al Zulfiqar :

Thu Nov 01, 2007

Why Saifee Hospital Karachi alone? even the Saifee Hospital Bombay is degenerating into a hotbed of medical mismanagement, corruption and nepotism and is headed for major disasters.

Influential bohras are able to get pvt. rooms, beds and services which are denied to people with no means. The work of doctors and staff is being constantly interfered with by Shezaadas and those with connections. All the hype that surrounded its opening is slowly but surely getting unravelled. Food is being pilfered, medicines and supplies are being stolen and there is little control on visitors who have influence with the authorities.

In fact they are renting out rooms to out-of-town bohras like a hotel!!! If you pay a little "extra" to the key staff, you can get added services which are not normally included. Even Arabs are renting rooms there under the guise of medical checkups and then bringing in women of ill-repute at night, with the staff turning a blind eye, no doubt well rewarded for their efforts.

I know of 2 cases which were recently botched up there. In one of them a poor bohra woman from Africa, who had come for treatment after receiving donated money from family and kind friends, was kept in the ICU for almost 25 days and charged 9000 rs per day. Inspite of requests and begging the management, incl. the bhaisaheb who runs the place, to reduce fees for her as a humanitarian gesture, they turned a deaf ear. After shifting her to a semi pvt room and another month or more of treatment, they discharged her, saying that her severe diabetes is now under control and we have saved her leg from amputation as it was nearly nerve-dead.

She purchased medicines for about 6 months treatment amounting to nearly 30,000 rs and flew back. Lo and behold, within 3 days of returning, she died of kidney failure, a fact which was kept from her. Her relatives are too far and powerless to do anything now, its too late. besides, requests to obtain her file later from the hospital have met with no success.

Is it worthwile making a comment? She was a very pious and god fearing woman who had blind faith in the syedna. This is what abde syednas undergo daily because of their blind faith...

Due to the negligence of Dr. Shabbir Rangwala and some other doctors at Saify Hospital, North Nazimabad Karachi; a young man, Bhagat Godhrawala, aged 28 years lost his life, his family prior to Eid commemorated ‘Matam’. The ‘Dengue Fever’ case was mishandled by the Doctors and the administration of the hospital. Sources say: "It is not the first case mishandled by the management of ‘Saify Hospital’, almost two or three cases on average each month are mishandled due to which precious lives are lost". Greedy Dr. Rahil, cardiac surgeon, two month back operated a bypass surgery of Saify Mithaiwala just to make money, at the hospital where no proper facility and trained staff available for operation. After 48 hours the patient expired. Two months back, also four patients died due to non healthy oxygen provided by non-standardized cylinders. These deaths were declared after intervals to hide the negligence of Saify Hospital. When patient fortunately recover by chance, the Mullas and management say that you got Shifa by the grace of Doa of Syedna and when patient expires they utter it is the will of Allah. Many patients who expired due to mishandling or carelessness belonged to poor families of the Bohra community. Likewise their illiterate heirs even don’t know the laws and are unaware of their own fundamental rights; they never raise voice against such criminal offences of the doctors and the hospital management.

Sources said: Doctor injected the deceased the wrong medicine, like a butcher, that caused Bhagat’s death.

To hush up the matter and calm down the situation, as a large number of friends and relatives were gathered outside the hospital to ask the condition of their beloved, Dr. Shabbir Rangwala shifted the body on ventilator, to cover his crime. He informed that the patient is in critical phase. Later on some hospital staff revealed the real fact which fired the situation; their relatives demonstrated against the act and approached the police. Police mobile also raided the house of Dr. Shabbir Rangwala, but after giving handsome amount he managed to escape. In the meanwhile, Hospital management immediately contacted the board of Trustees of Saify Hospital, who advised to contact Shaikh Shoaib Haidri. This crook seizes from Saify Hospital an exorbitant amount as ‘Bhatta’ regularly, contacted his uncle-in-law, Pesh Imam of ‘Husami Masjid’, North Nazimabad, Karachi, Amil Shaikh Shabbir Jamali. Shaikh Shabbir, an Indian national, intervened by taking lucrative bribe from Dr. Shabbir Rangwala to suppress the case and save the doctor’s skin. The Pesh Imam called the family members of the deceased and instead of condolence, harassed them severely. He denied performing namaz-e-janaza of deceased until they signed the documents of forgiveness. Friends of the deceased under leadership of Taher Karimi Godhrawala protested against the evil act of Saify Hospital and the Mullas. The aggrieved party also approached for help to the local MQM Nazim, ‘Baboo’, who assured them to help. Later on, notorious Bohra pimp and rapist, Mulla Abbas Maila, who is an acting Secretary’ of Pesh Imam contacted Baboo and asked him to immediately meet the Pesh Imam. When Baboo visited Amil Shaikh Shabbir Jamali, he was advised to close the case and Shaikh Zoaib Taher Mithaiwala, a lucifer, on the spot bribed him five Lakh rupees. Baboo received this amount as ‘Eidi’ and kept silence and betrayed the oppress party.

It is time to think, God forbid, may be the next victim is your family members, whose case would be mishandled in ‘Saify Hospital’ in the same manner. These shameless Bohra Mullas mostly use the most powerful weapon at their wicked disposal to ex-communicate from the community if any person tries to whistle blow their evil acts. This episode could repeat again and again, unless legal action is taken against these criminals. It is matter of shame that like all Bohra Institutions, Saify Hospital is run by non competent crooks like Shaikh Nooruddin Kala, a known fraud person, who continually misused community Niyaz Fund. It is the duty of our educated class to stop these practices of ignorance and break our silence to eliminate signs of crimes from our community. In this manner Syedna will be happy and bestow wholesome Dua on us.

‘Long live Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin’ and may Allah give us courage to kick these culprits out of Syedna’s Institutions, whether they are Amils, Shaikhs or Trustees.

By Al Zulfiqar :

Thu Nov 01, 2007

Why Saifee Hospital Karachi alone? even the Saifee Hospital Bombay is degenerating into a hotbed of medical mismanagement, corruption and nepotism and is headed for major disasters.

Influential bohras are able to get pvt. rooms, beds and services which are denied to people with no means. The work of doctors and staff is being constantly interfered with by Shezaadas and those with connections. All the hype that surrounded its opening is slowly but surely getting unravelled. Food is being pilfered, medicines and supplies are being stolen and there is little control on visitors who have influence with the authorities.

In fact they are renting out rooms to out-of-town bohras like a hotel!!! If you pay a little "extra" to the key staff, you can get added services which are not normally included. Even Arabs are renting rooms there under the guise of medical checkups and then bringing in women of ill-repute at night, with the staff turning a blind eye, no doubt well rewarded for their efforts.

I know of 2 cases which were recently botched up there. In one of them a poor bohra woman from Africa, who had come for treatment after receiving donated money from family and kind friends, was kept in the ICU for almost 25 days and charged 9000 rs per day. Inspite of requests and begging the management, incl. the bhaisaheb who runs the place, to reduce fees for her as a humanitarian gesture, they turned a deaf ear. After shifting her to a semi pvt room and another month or more of treatment, they discharged her, saying that her severe diabetes is now under control and we have saved her leg from amputation as it was nearly nerve-dead.

She purchased medicines for about 6 months treatment amounting to nearly 30,000 rs and flew back. Lo and behold, within 3 days of returning, she died of kidney failure, a fact which was kept from her. Her relatives are too far and powerless to do anything now, its too late. besides, requests to obtain her file later from the hospital have met with no success.

Is it worthwile making a comment? She was a very pious and god fearing woman who had blind faith in the syedna. This is what abde syednas undergo daily because of their blind faith...

Dear All,

Yes Saifee Hospital, Mumbai is a total money making hospital.

My mother was diagnosed with meningitis this year and she could not be admitted cause they said we do not take meningitis patients in our hospital. I thought I heard it wrong so I called them up for three days continuously and got the same answer. From this I concluded that they take only patients who will perform operations or who can be in ICU where they can earn lots and lots of money.

Finally my mother expired but do they care if a momin who was always in awe of Moula was refused admission in his hospital!

My mother was diagnosed with meningitis this year and she could not be admitted cause they said we do not take meningitis patients in our hospital. I thought I heard it wrong so I called them up for three days continuously and got the same answer. From this I concluded that they take only patients who will perform operations or who can be in ICU where they can earn lots and lots of money.

Finally my mother expired but do they care if a momin who was always in awe of Moula was refused admission in his hospital!

Not to imply that i dont believe you, but did you actually call the hospital to ask them if your mother (may she rest in peace) may be admitted?

Yes thats what.. I called the hospital for three days continuously cause I thought I heard it wrong the first time...Thought maybe they have made a mistake. But thats it!.. I am so shocked and ashamed.